Evaluating Online Accounting & Finance Degrees

There are a lot of sketchy online programs out there, so make sure the degree is worthy of your money:

If the business/accounting program doesn’t have AACSB accreditation, ask about other business accreditations.

If the school isn’t regionally accredited, find out why.

Generally speaking, online programs from business schools with strong “brick and mortar” reputations (e.g. University of Minnesota, UMass Amherst, etc.) will have much more credibility than degrees from online schools with no campus. Look for programs where the same professors who teach campus classes are teaching the online courses.

Internships are also important for anyone considering an online degree. Employers are typically suspicious of candidates with no “real-world” experience. Ask your school what kinds of training opportunities they provide.

Online Degrees & CPA Eligibility

Before you commit to an online program, be sure to check with your State’s Accountancy Board. (View a list of State Accountancy Boards.) Some Boards will not accept certain online programs for CPA eligibility. This is especially important for undergraduates to know. If you’re thinking of taking a bachelor’s degree online, ask if course credits will count towards your 150 credit hours.

School Rankings

1

Bentley University

Bentley University offers a fully online bachelor's degree in business administration that is designed as a part-time cohort program. There are five sessions each year and students take one 8-week course per session. Students who can transfer 60 college-level credits to the program are required to complete only 16 additional courses in order to earn their degree. Core business courses include the following: global strategy, law ethics and social responsibility, management communications, management of information technology, organizational behavior and leadership, and supply chain management. There is a two-day on-campus experience held once a year. The university offers an alternative opportunity for students who cannot attend this session. With continuous enrollment, most students can complete the program in just over three years.

University of Southern California

The Leventhal School of Accounting at the University of Southern California offers a Master of Business Taxation degree that can be pursued online. The 30-unit program is comprised of 10 three-unit courses, which consists of five required courses and five tax electives. Students can access core course content at any time, but meet up online with faculty and other students once a week for 60 to 90 minutes. There is also an online Master of Science in Financial Engineering degree available. Students with a background in engineering, physics, or applied mathematics learn how to apply engineering and mathematical tools to finance. The program focuses on financial topics such as derivative securities valuation, risk management, and strategic planning and dynamic investment strategies.

Florida International University

Florida International University's fully online Bachelor of Business Administration program offers a finance track for students who are interested in pursuing a career or further studies in banking, business, corporate finance, or investments. Students are required to complete 60 credit hours of upper division coursework that include business, major (finance), and elective courses. The following core financial courses are required: commercial bank management, financial markets and institutions, financial risk management (financial engineering), intermediate finance, and securities analysis. Students can choose management/banking or finance/real estate courses as part of their elective coursework. FIU pairs each online student with a success coach to facilitate program planning and completion. Students are given the option of beginning the program in the fall, spring, or summer term.

Auburn University

The Raymond J. Harbert College of Business at Auburn University offers a Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree that can be pursued online. This is the same AACSB-accredited program that is available to on-campus students. The program is designed for students who already have a non-accounting undergraduate degree who wish to shift to an accounting career. The program also completes the educational requirements for the CPA exam. On the graduate level, the university offers Master of Accountancy (MAcc) and Master of Science in Finance degrees online. The MAcc program can be pursued on a part-time (five semesters) or full-time basis (three semesters). Online and on-campus students are required to participate in a three-day onsite residency during their final spring semester.

Missouri State University-Springfield

Missouri State's College of Business offers a Bachelor of Science degree in finance that can be pursued online. Students accepted to the program complete general education and College of Business requirements, in addition to taking 32 to 33 units within the major. The finance curriculum includes courses such as intermediate financial management, investments, international financial statement analysis, and business enterprises, rights, and liabilities. Students are trained for careers in a variety of financial fields including investment management, personal financial planning, banking, and corporate and public finance. Missouri State University is recognized by the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute. Finance majors are prepared to sit for the CFA Level I exam, which is the first step in receiving their CFA Charter.

University of Houston-Clear Lake

The online Master of Science in Finance degree at the University of Houston in Clear Lake (UHCL) is a 36-graduate-hour program offered through the School of Business. The curriculum includes required coursework in key financial topics such as: management science and operations, security analysis, economic policy and applications, international finance, financial administrative policies, financial policy, and the structure of financial statements. Accounting and business elective courses may be taken with the approval of the student advisor. Students are given the option of completing a capstone project or writing a thesis in order to graduate from the program. UHCL is authorized to offer online programs to students residing in all states except for the following: District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and Wisconsin.

St. John's University-New York

The Peter J. Tobin College of Business at St. John's University offers an online Master of Science in Accounting degree. The program satisfies the educational requirements for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam in the State of New York. Students applying for admission to the program must have completed an undergraduate business degree from an accredited institution. The 30- to 33-credit program is designed to be completed in one year and students have the option of following a part-time or full-time plan of study. The curriculum includes coursework that train students to analyze exposures and risks, identify and measure financial information, use technology to leverage accounting strategies, and understand the impact of national and global issues on local business.

Washington State University

Washington State University offers a fully online Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree through the Carson College of Business. Students accepted to the program must first be certified in business administration with a concentration in accounting before taking upper-division business and accounting classes. The following courses must be completed for advancement in the program: financial and managerial accounting, business statistics, finite math and business calculus, and law and the legal environment. Once eligible to take upper-division courses, students enroll in classes that fulfill the business and accounting requirements such as the principles of management and organization, business strategy and policy, intermediate accounting, taxation, and auditing. Finance is offered as an area of concentration for the university's Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.

University of Alabama at Birmingham

The University of Alaska in Fairbanks offers an online Associate of Applied Science degree in applied accounting that provides students with a gateway to a four-year Bachelor of Arts program in accounting. Students are prepared for entry-level positions in bookkeeping, payroll accounting, and in payables and/or receivables. A one-year certificate in accounting technology is also available online. The university offers a 15-credit occupational endorsement as a financial services representative that can be pursued online in one semester. Students who complete this program will have 50 percent of the required credits for the applied business management certificate in finance. After earning the endorsement, students have the option of enrolling in an internship course in order to gain practical, hands-on experience in the field.

Saint Joseph's University

The Master of Science in Financial Services degree offered by the Haub School of Business at St. Joseph's University is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) as well as the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. To date, it is the only regional master's program in finance that is both AACSB-accredited and CFP-certified. The degree can be pursued online. Students accepted to the program gain critical expertise in key areas such as portfolio management, mergers and acquisitions, financial institutions and capital markets, and international finance. Most students complete the program within two years and six months. Pre-requisite requirements can be satisfied through the transfer of qualified undergraduate credits, challenge exams, or completing the required coursework.

University of Memphis

The distance education program of the University of Memphis (UofM Online) offers a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accountancy degree that can be pursued completely online or with a combination of online and on-campus coursework. There is also a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance degree available with two areas of concentration - real estate and business finance. Students accepted to this program also have the option of earning the degree 100 percent online or on campus. As programs offered through the Fogelman College of Business and Economics, the online accounting and finance courses are taught by the same faculty that teach on campus. The Fogelman College of Business and Economics is accredited by the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business).

University of Alaska Fairbanks

The University of Alaska in Fairbanks offers an online Associate of Applied Science degree in applied accounting that provides students with a gateway to a four-year Bachelor of Arts program in accounting. Students are prepared for entry-level positions in bookkeeping, payroll accounting, and in payables and/or receivables. A one-year certificate in accounting technology is also available online. The university offers a 15-credit occupational endorsement as a financial services representative that can be pursued online in one semester. Students who complete this program will have 50 percent of the required credits for the applied business management certificate in finance. After earning the endorsement, students have the option of enrolling in an internship course in order to gain practical, hands-on experience in the field.

Stetson University

The Master of Accountancy (M.Acc.) degree at Stetson University is available online and can be completed after just one year of study. The program is designed as a cohort and offers several starting dates throughout the year. The curriculum includes coursework in essential function areas such as information systems and business law, in addition to graduate-level accounting courses. Students who pursue the program take classes in information technology and business strategy, managerial accounting, contemporary issues in information systems and controls, and tax research. Course content can be accessed asynchronously, at the times when it is most convenient and practical for individual students. However, some instructors require real-time chat sessions or group discussions. The Stetson School of Business is an AACSB-accredited institution.